Barr has been on fire recently, averaging 25.4 points over his last five games. He entered the weekend fresh off a 26-point performance against Cherry Hill East, scoring the final nine points of that contest to help the No. 8 Vikings (21-4) secure the Olympic Conference American Division title.

“I definitely think I’ve elevated my game,” he said. “But I also know I have just a few more high school games left. I want to play as well as I can.

“This was definitely one of my better games.”

Murphy says it’s a confidence thing.

“He’s always had it in him, but over the last two weeks …,” the coach said.

“The last two weeks, he’s played extremely well. He’s certainly stepped up his game. Teams key on Matt (Klinewski) so much that he gives us another option. He was tough to guard and shot extremely well from the perimeter.”

Barr opened the scoring with a deep 3-pointer and added a second from the left wing as Eastern trailed 14-12 after the opening quarter.

He later hit another from the top of the arc and one from the right wing as part of a 9-0 run midway through the second. Four foul shots in the final 41 seconds helped Eastern take a 32-24 halftime lead.

“When I came here and started shooting, they just kept going in,” Barr said. “The basket was really big, especially in the first half. After I hit the first two, two more came. I felt pretty good.”

Barr would help the Vikings extend their lead in the third quarter. He hit two more 3-pointers as well as a penetrating layup to give them a 48-35 advantage heading into the fourth.

Pitman rallied over the final eight minutes, closing to within 58-54, 60-56 and 61-58 over the final 1:30. But each time the Panthers seemed to gain momentum, Eastern would work the ball around and make key foul shots.

“We have the playoffs coming up and Murphy told us we’re not going to get all the calls playing in away gyms with their fans,” Barr said.

“This is a game you have to have,” Murphy said. “You’re in a hostile environment, a crowded gym on the road. It’s a good game to have before the playoffs.”

Klinewski, a 6-foot-8 forward headed to Lafayette, added 13 points, five rebounds and four assists Saturday before fouling out with 1:41 remaining. Maliq Sanders had 10 points, four rebounds and a key block in the game’s final moments.

Eastern had won three straight and 10 of its last 11 games.

Tim Delaney, a 6-9 junior and Villanova recruit, led No. 13 Pitman (17-6) with 16 points and seven rebounds. Darnell Foreman had 13 points and Matt Spicer drained four 3-pointers to account for his 12 points.

While frustrated with another loss in a big game, Pitman coach Kevin Crawford was happy with the way his team played.

“I can’t put my finger on it, but it’s something where we collectively as a team come up a little short,” he said. “I was very happy with the way we played. Eastern was the best team we’ve played this year. We matched up with them well.

“We got off to an early start, got a little sloppy and fell behind. But we scrapped our way back.”

The Panthers have lost four of their last six, all against ranked teams – No. 3 St. Augustine, No. 7 Rancocas Valley, No. 12 Camden and Eastern.

“We’ve been in every single game we’ve played this year and I still believe we’re a very good basketball team,” Crawford added. “It’s definitely frustrating. We have to keep getting ready for the playoffs and remain positive.”

Follow Kevin Minnick on Twitter @cp_varsity

About Kevin Minnick

A South Jersey resident for better than 30 years, I'm a strong
believer in family. With two sons, you'll find me pitching batting
practice from the spring through the fall, playing baseball in the yard and attending various games depending on the season. High school sports and all it encompasses - the kids, the coaches, the schools - is something I'm passionate about and it's my goal to provide readers with the most honest and objective reporting possible. In this day and age, covering high school sports goes way beyond Xs and Os.

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About this Blog

A look at the South Jersey high school sports scene that goes beyond the Xs and Os with analysis and information you won't find in the boxscore.

The Varsity Insider

Kevin Minnick
A South Jersey resident for better than 30 years, I'm a strong believer in family. With two sons, you'll find me pitching batting practice from the spring through the fall, playing baseball in the yard and attending various games depending on the season. High school sports and all it encompasses - the kids, the coaches, the schools - is something I'm passionate about and it's my goal to provide readers with the most honest and objective reporting possible. In this day and age, covering high school sports goes way beyond Xs and Os. E-mail Kevin